Stowaway
by Scribblesinink
Summary: Missing scene in 'Charmed and Dangerous'. Cole makes a terrible discovery


STOWAWAY  
  
  
"The Source's powers? They went into the void."  
  
The Seer's response to Paige's question continued to nibble at the edge of his consciousness, even as Cole sat enjoying Phoebe's presence on his knee. They were at P3, celebrating the Source's demise, but for some reason Cole couldn't quite get into the festive mood that the occasion warranted. He failed to shake the feeling that he was missing something, something vital, and he couldn't put the Seer's words out of his mind.  
  
"I had a vision. One where you and I do great things together."  
  
"Hello?" Phoebe waved a small hand in front of his face. "Cole? Anyone home?"   
  
Cole blinked and focused on her face. "Sorry," he murmured. "I'm a bit tired. It's been a long day."  
  
Phoebe grinned and leaned closer to him. "Tell me about it," she whispered before placing a kiss on his lips.  
  
He kissed her back, her mouth warm on his.   
  
"Even now, I can see the void where your demon half used to exist." The Seer's voice again spoke up in his mind. "It craves to be complete again."  
  
Void, void. That word kept creeping up, haunting him like a restless ghost. He had to admit she had seen truthfully; when Belthazor was vanquished Cole was left with a dark vacuum inside that he still sought to fill with something meaningful.   
  
Cole froze, suddenly chilled.   
  
Come to think of it, he didn't feel so hollow anymore.  
  
"'Scuse me," he muttered, nudging Phoebe off his lap. She complied and hopped down.   
  
"Are you all right?" she asked. She looked worried as her brown eyes studied him.  
  
"Yeah," Cole replied. It was a struggle to keep his voice level. "Need a bathroom break." He offered her a lopsided grin that never quite reached his eyes and made his way through the clutter of people on the dancefloor.  
  
With relief, he found that the men's restroom was currently devoid of customers. He leaned down over the sink and splashed some water on his brow. Maybe the cold liquid would help him clear his mind. But the gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach didn't cease.   
  
She couldn't have meant what he feared she meant, could she?  
  
He scanned his wet face in the mirror. Steely blue eyes stared back at him, their gaze a bit weary perhaps, but otherwise unchanged over the past hundred years or so.  
  
No, she had to be wrong.  
  
Still...  
  
He ran down a mental checklist of his feelings, his emotions, the neural pathways in his brain, the hole that used to be Belthazor, and--  
  
Cole gasped and swallowed.   
  
An alien presence occupied Belthazor's space.   
  
A groan escaped his lips as his first thought was for Phoebe. What was he going to tell her?  
  
He gritted his teeth. That damn Seer! Having the Source seek refuge in his body wasn't part of their deal! He'd help her get rid of the Hollow and that was it. If he could get his hands on the woman, he'd--  
  
"Hey man, are you okay?"  
  
Before he could finish the vengeful thought, unsure if it were Cole the human or the Source of all evil who conceived it, a young man entered the restroom.  
  
"Yeah, fine," Cole grunted. He grabbed a paper towel and dried his face.  
  
Now was not the time to think about revenge. He had to figure out what to tell Phoebe, how to keep her safe, how to *fix* this problem.  
  
His wife-to-be beamed a smile at him as he returned to their table, and all words fled from his mind as her love enveloped him.  
  
"Hey honey," she said. "Are you okay? It took you so long to get back."  
  
"Did it?" Cole mumbled with a confused frown. How long had he been gone?  
  
He was spared having to explain when Paige spotted a handsome guy in the crowd and grinned at Phoebe before she left to make his acquaintance.  
  
"Are you sure you okay?" Phoebe wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily.  
  
Cole groaned inwardly. What was he going to say to her? He couldn't tell her the truth, not now, not today.  
  
"Yeah. I'm just eh... a little tired." He gave her a wan smile.  
  
"Too tired to celebrate?" Phoebe's eyes twinkled with promise and despite his concerns Cole felt his body respond to her wordless invite. "You are my soon to be husband. And you're also my hero."  
  
"Oh, I'm nobody's hero," Cole murmured while he leaned down to accept her embrace. Deep within, the Source's power slipped into his veins, heating his blood, and the echo of a vicious laugh reverberated in his mind.   
  
--END--  
  
  
Disclaimer: this story is based on the Spelling Television/WB Television Network series Charmed. All characters belong to their original creators. The story was written for entertainment purposes only and no copyright infringement was intended. 


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